Granular assignation of importance to multiple-recipient electronic communication

Abstract

A method for distinguishing recipients of electronic communication on a data processing system utilizing the recipient's electronic addresses. Electronic communication is first addressed to at least two recipients with corresponding recipient addresses. Then specific characteristics, from among a plurality of characteristics, are linked to one or more of the recipient addresses, wherein the characteristic serves to distinguish the recipient's communication from the communication of other recipients. When the communication is sent the recipient receives his communication along with the characteristics assigned it.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A method for distinguishing an electronic communication on a data processing system addressed to one or more recipients with a corresponding electronic address, to allow for one recipient's communication to exhibit different characteristics from another recipient's communication, said method comprising the steps of: 
 addressing said electronic communication to at least two recipients utilizing an input device of said data processing system to enter said recipients' corresponding electronic addresses to create a group of recipients' addresses;    assigning a specific characteristic to said electronic address of a particular one of said recipients, wherein said specific characteristic is selected from a plurality of characteristics provided by a software for creating said electronic communication and serves to distinguish said electronic address of said particular one of said recipients' addresses from said group of recipients' addresses; and    linking said characteristic assigned to said electronic address of said particular one of said recipients to said electronic communication being sent to said particular one of said recipients.    
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said assigning step further comprise the steps of: 
 first selecting one or more electronic address from said group of recipients' address; and    choosing from among a plurality of characteristics said characteristic desired to be exhibited in said electronic communication of said one or more electronic address selected.    
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said assigning step permits a different characteristic to be assigned to a different electronic address.  
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said linking step further includes the step of indicating on a display device of said data processing system said characteristic of each of said electronic addresses.  
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said indicating step further includes the step of manipulating a font of said electronic address to correspond to said characteristic applied to said electronic address, wherein a predetermined font is provided with each characteristic of said plurality of characteristics, and further wherein said electronic address with said characteristic is displayed in the font associated with said characteristic.  
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 4 , wherein said indicating step further includes the step of color coding said electronic address, wherein a color code is provided with said plurality of characteristics, whereby each color represents a particular characteristic from among said plurality of characteristics and further wherein said electronic address with said characteristic is displayed in the color associated with said characteristic.  
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said linking step provides that said electronic communication only displays said characteristic assigned to said electronic address when received by said recipient.  
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein said assigning step is implemented within a distribution list of electronic addresses and wherein said characteristics of said electronic addresses within said distribution list are storable along with their respective electronic address.  
     
     
         9 . A system for distinguishing an electronic communication on a data processing system addressed to one or more recipients with a corresponding electronic address, to allow for one recipient's communication to exhibit different characteristics from another recipient's communication, said system comprising: 
 means for addressing said electronic communication to at least two recipients utilizing an input device of said data processing system to enter said recipients' corresponding electronic addresses to create a group of recipients' addresses;    means for assigning a specific characteristic to said electronic address of a particular one of said recipients, wherein said specific characteristic is selected from a plurality of characteristics provided by a software for creating said electronic communication and serves to distinguish said electronic address of said particular one of said recipients' addresses from said group of recipients' addresses; and    means for linking said characteristic assigned to said electronic address of said particular one of said recipients to said electronic communication being sent to said particular one of said recipients.    
     
     
         10 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said assigning means further comprise: 
 means for first selecting one or more electronic address from said group of recipients' address; and    means for choosing from among a plurality of characteristics said characteristic desired to be exhibited in said electronic communication of said one or more electronic address selected.    
     
     
         11 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said assigning means permits a different characteristic to be assigned to a different electronic address.  
     
     
         12 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said linking means further includes means for indicating on a display device of said data processing system said characteristic of each of said electronic addresses.  
     
     
         13 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein said indicating means further includes means for manipulating a font of said electronic address to correspond to said characteristic applied to said electronic address, wherein a predetermined font is provided with each characteristic of said plurality of characteristics, and further wherein said electronic address with said characteristic is displayed in the font associated with said characteristic.  
     
     
         14 . The system of  claim 12 , wherein said indicating means further includes means for color coding said electronic address, wherein a color code is provided with said plurality of characteristics, whereby each color represents a particular characteristic from among said plurality of characteristics and further wherein said electronic address with said characteristic is displayed in the color associated with said characteristic.  
     
     
         15 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said linking means provides that said electronic communication only displays said characteristic assigned to said electronic address when received by said recipient.  
     
     
         16 . The system of  claim 9 , wherein said assigning means is implemented within a distribution list of electronic addresses and wherein said characteristics of said electronic addresses within said distribution list are storable along with their respective electronic address.  
     
     
         17 . A computer program product for distinguishing an electronic communication on a data processing system addressed to one or more recipients with a corresponding electronic address, to allow for one recipient's communication to exhibit different characteristics from another recipient's communication, said computer program product comprising: 
 a compute readable storage medium;    program instructions on said medium for: 
 addressing said electronic communication to at least two recipients utilizing an input device of said data processing system to enter said recipients' corresponding electronic addresses to create a group of recipients' addresses;  
 assigning a specific characteristic to said electronic address of a particular one of said recipients, wherein said specific characteristic is selected from a plurality of characteristics provided by a software for creating said electronic communication and serves to distinguish said electronic address of said particular one of said recipients' addresses from said group of recipients' addresses; and  
 linking said characteristic assigned to said electronic address of said particular one of said recipients to said electronic communication being sent to said particular one of said recipients.  
   
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein said program instructions for said assigning step further comprise program instructions for: 
 first selecting one or more electronic address from said group of recipients' address; and    choosing from among a plurality of characteristics said characteristic desired to be exhibited in said electronic communication of said one or more electronic address selected.    
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein said program instructions for said assigning step permits a different characteristic to be assigned to a different electronic address.  
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein said program instructions for said linking step further includes program instructions for indicating on a display device of said data processing system said characteristic of each of said electronic addresses.  
     
     
         21 . The computer program product of  claim 20 , wherein said program instructions for said indicating step further includes program instructions for manipulating a font of said electronic address to correspond to said characteristic applied to said electronic address, wherein a predetermined font is provided with each characteristic of said plurality of characteristics, and further wherein said electronic address with said characteristic is displayed in the font associated with said characteristic.  
     
     
         22 . The computer program product of  claim 20 , wherein said program instructions for said indicating step further includes program instructions for color coding said electronic address, wherein a color code is provided with said plurality of characteristics, whereby each color represents a particular characteristic from among said plurality of characteristics and further wherein said electronic address with said characteristic is displayed in the color associated with said characteristic.  
     
     
         23 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein said program instructions for said linking step provides that said electronic communication only displays said characteristic assigned to said electronic address when received by said recipient.  
     
     
         24 . The computer program product of  claim 17 , wherein said program instructions for said assigning step is implemented within a distribution list of electronic addresses and wherein said characteristics of said electronic addresses within said distribution list are storable along with their respective electronic address.